Bearing connection, engine cylinder, and engine with the bearing connection

Abstract

A bearing connection having a connecting rod connected rigidly to a piston and a crankshaft driven by the connecting rod. The connecting rod is connected on the crankshaft side to a transverse bearing for a sliding block, the sliding block being mounted such that it can move to and fro in the transverse bearing and a rolling contact bearing being arranged in the sliding block in order to receive the crank pin of a crankshaft. At least one cavity is formed in the piston crown and, in the area thereof close to the piston longitudinal axis, is connected to an oil feed line running through the connecting rod and that the oil feed line in the connecting rod is led or extended to the end region thereof remote from the piston and, from there, is led onward into the interior of the transverse bearing via a transfer channel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A bearing connection having a connecting rod connected rigidly to a piston and a crankshaft driven by the connecting rod, the connecting rod being connected on the crankshaft side to a transverse bearing for a sliding block, the sliding block being mounted such that it can move to and fro in the transverse bearing and a rolling contact bearing being arranged in the sliding block in order to receive the crank pin of a crankshaft, wherein at least one cavity is formed in the piston crown and, in the area thereof close to the piston longitudinal axis, is connected to an oil feed line running through the connecting rod and in that the oil feed line in the connecting rod is led or extended to the end region thereof remote from the piston and, from there, is led onward into the interior of the transverse bearing via a transfer channel. 
     
     
       2. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transverse bearing and the connecting rod are formed in one piece or from one part, in particular a precision cast part. 
     
     
       3. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sliding block is formed in two parts, and the two parts enclose the rolling contact bearing, preferably a needle bearing, for the crank pin, or in that the sliding block is formed in one piece and the rolling contact bearing has a filling groove and the rolling contact bearing is threaded onto the crank pin. 
     
     
       4. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sliding block is guided in the transverse bearing such that it can be displaced on rollers in a direction transverse to the cylinder longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transverse bearing or the bearing recess thereof has a rectangular internal cross section, if appropriate with internal corners having a rounded course. 
     
     
       6. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is formed by a number of channels preferably running radially in the piston crown, possibly connected to one another, in particular connected to one another and/or branching in the circumferential region of the piston. 
     
     
       7. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the cavity or the channels forming the cavity in the circumferential region of the piston are connected, possibly via a collecting line running peripherally, to at least one return line leading to the connecting rod, the return line being connected to an oil return line guided in the connecting rod, and the cavity or the channels forming the cavity being closer to the end face of the piston than the return lines. 
     
     
       8. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the oil feed line is guided centrally in the connecting rod and/or in that an oil return line connected to the return line is arranged peripherally or off-center in the connecting rod. 
     
     
       9. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the piston is formed centrally symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal mid-axis thereof and/or in that the piston is connected to the connecting rod via a connecting part, preferably in the form of a hollow screw, firmly and rigidly, but if appropriate detachably and divisibly, the oil feed line being extended into a recess in the connecting part which, in the top area of the connecting part, has outlet openings which open into the cavity or the channels forming the cavity. 
     
     
       10. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a connecting bore is formed in the connecting rod at a distance from the piston and leads radially from the surface of the connecting rod to the centrally placed oil feed line. 
     
     
       11. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the cavity or the channels forming the cavity and/or the return line are inclined at an angle of 1° to 4°, preferably 1° to 3°, to a plane perpendicular to the piston longitudinal axis, the peripheral end of the cavity or of the channels forming the cavity being closer to the piston surface on the combustion chamber side than the return line. 
     
     
       12. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the transfer channel opens into a bearing recess enclosed by the transverse bearing and/or in that a bore is formed in the sliding block and passes through the sliding block between the opposite wall faces of the latter and/or in that, in the wall surface of the sliding block close to the piston, a depression located opposite the connecting rod is formed, in the area of which the transfer channel opens, which depression has at least one transverse extent which corresponds to the offset of the sliding block during the to and fro movement of the latter. 
     
     
       13. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transverse bearing is connected to a respective connecting rod on opposite sides, the two connecting rods preferably being aligned coaxially. 
     
     
       14. The bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sliding block and the transverse bearing are fixed in one plane by a guide unit and are secured against mutual rotation about the piston axis. 
     
     
       15. An engine cylinder comprising a piston and a connecting rod and having a bearing connection according to  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder has a guide or a guide part, in which the connecting rod is mounted and guided, in the base area of the cylinder remote from the combustion chamber. 
     
     
       16. The cylinder as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the guide closes off the cylinder or the end of the latter remote from the combustion chamber, and/or in that a charge-air cooler or heat exchanger is arranged in the pre-compression chamber, in particular is carried by the guide. 
     
     
       17. The cylinder as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein an oil supply line is formed in the guide along the guide path for the connecting rod and communicates with the connecting bore, at least over half the piston travel to or from the top dead center of the piston. 
     
     
       18. The cylinder as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein in the guide there is formed at least one groove, in which a metallic oil scraper ring for the connecting rod is arranged, sealing off on the inside. 
     
     
       19. The cylinder as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the inlet opening of an oil return channel opens in the surface of the guide on the side of the oil scraper ring remote from the combustion chamber, the other end of said channel, falling or having a vertical directional component, being led into the crankcase in the position of use. 
     
     
       20. The cylinder as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the crank guide is arranged to be offset with respect to the connecting rod, and the connecting rod leaves the transverse bearing at the distance from the longitudinal mid-plane of the latter. 
     
     
       21. The cylinder as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the crank guide is of offset design, and the transverse mid-plane of the transverse bearing forms an angle of 84° to 89°, preferably 85° to 88°, with the connecting rod. 
     
     
       22. An opposed-piston engine, comprising two cylinders as claimed in  claim 15  joined together to form one cylinder, each having a piston mounted therein that is respectively connected to a crankshaft by the bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , which cylinders executing strokes in opposite directions are connected to each other by the end regions thereof on the combustion chamber side, preferably by end faces of the cylinder wall, are advantageously formed in one piece or one part and form a continuous cylinder wall. 
     
     
       23. An engine, in particular a 180° V engine, having two cylinders as claimed in  claim 15  each having a piston with connecting rod and having a bearing connection as claimed in  claim 1 , the two cylinders being arranged on both sides of the crankshaft, and the connecting rod of each cylinder being connected, preferably in one piece, to the transverse bearing placed on the crank pin.